# NTSB NYC98LA181: Cessna 305A, N5245G, Louisville, KY, September 5, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 5, 1998, 16:10 local (20:10 UTC) - Place: Louisville, KY - Location: 38.2280° N, 85.6637° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at BOWMAN FLD (LOU), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2280&lon=-85.6637&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 28, 1999 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 43947 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC98LA181 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43947/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA181 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper inflight decision, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, approach - sign towing equipment - inoperative (cause) - sign towing equipment - snagged - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - terrain condition - runway ## Analysis The pilot was returning to land from his third banner flight of the day, and was towing a 25x75 foot banner. He made two attempts to release his banner, but both attempts failed, so he elected to land the airplane with the banner in tow. The pilot made a straight-in approach for the 3,539 foot long runway 14, and in an attempt to have the airplane touch down before the banner, he executed the approach steeper and faster than normal, but not as fast as he would have liked, because he wanted to get the airplane stopped before reaching an intersecting runway. By stopping before the intersecting runway, the pilot would prevent blocking it while he cleared the banner and airplane from the landing runway. When the airplane was over the runway and approximately 20 feet above the ground, the banner became snagged. The pilot applied full power, but the airplane stalled, and impacted the runway. ## Factual narrative On September 5, 1998, about 1610 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 305A, N5245G, was substantially damaged during landing at Bowman Field Airport (LOU), Louisville, Kentucky. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the commercial banner tow flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot stated that he was returning to land from his third banner flight of the day, and was towing a 25x75 foot banner. He made two attempts to release his banner, but both attempts failed. Since the pilot could not release the banner, he elected to land the airplane with the banner in tow, something he had done about a dozen times before. He coordinated with the tower, and after about 10 minutes was cleared to land on Runway 14. The active was Runway 6, but the winds were negligible and the pilot wanted to avoid occupying the primary runway. The pilot stated that he made a straight in approach for Runway 14, and in an attempt to have the airplane touchdown before the banner, he made the approach steeper and faster than "normal", but not as fast as he would have liked. He maintained a slightly slower approach speed because he wanted to get the airplane stopped before reaching the intersection of Runway 14 and Runway 6. His goal was to avoid blocking Runway 6 because it was the primary runway, and he knew it would take several minutes to clear the banner and airplane from Runway 14 after coming to a stop. When the airplane was over the runway and approximately 20 feet above the ground, the pilot felt the banner snag and the subsequent stretching of the nylon tow rope. Immediately upon feeling the deceleration, the pilot applied full power, but the airplane stalled and nosed down. When the airplane impacted the runway, the propeller made momentary contact with the ground and the right landing gear collapsed. The airplane bounced back into the air briefly then settled onto the runway. After settling back onto the runway, the airplane skidded 30-50 feet before it came to rest with its engine still running. According to the pilot, banner attached landings require a steeper and faster approach then normal to prevent the banner from becoming snagged while the airplane is still airborne. In the past, when the pilot conducted banner attached landings, he thought he was able to get the airplane on the ground prior to the banner. After the accident he was informed by a witness that on several occasions, during past banner landings, the banner made ground contact first. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5245G](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5245G-2000-06-06), registration cancelled 2000-06-06, S/N 21327 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 305A - Registry model: [Cessna 305A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-305a) (registry code 2074002) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Airframe hours: 8274 - Engines: Continental O-470-11B 213 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 91 - Registered owner: Nicholas Saum - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 2, 1997, 317 hours before - Departed: LOU - Destination: LOU - Airport: LOU, Bowman Field, runway 14, 3,539 × 80 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 65; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 4,975 total, 1,112 in this make and model, 2,975 as pilot in command, 185 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 6 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SDF, 7 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19980905029829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980905029829A), Sep 5, 1998: Cessna 305A, Louisville, KY, Substantial damage. (-23) Banner tow operation. Banner would not release so pilot landed with banner attached to aircraft. Banner contacted runway first causing aircraft to lose… ## Other investigations on N5245G (3) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB DEN00LA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA024), Dec 3, 1999: Cessna 305A (N5245G), Akron, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the four bolts which attach the right main landing gear assembly to the landing gear strut. - [NTSB FTW96LA172](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA172), Apr 17, 1996: Cessna 305A (N5245G), Erie, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: entanglement of the tow banner during banner pickup, and subsequent failure or inability to jettison the banner. A factor relating to the accident was: high gusty wind condition. - [NTSB DEN88LA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN88LA052), Jan 10, 1988: Cessna 305A (N5245G), Littleton, CO, substantial damage From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.